


Family Feast

by blueboxesandtrafficcones



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas 2017 [23]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, two au's for the price of one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-31
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-02-24 10:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13211748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueboxesandtrafficcones/pseuds/blueboxesandtrafficcones
Summary: When Rose Tyler's favorite customer begs her in a fit of desperation to pretend to be his serious girlfriend for his sister's Christmas Eve lunch, she's hard-pressed to refuse; especially after said sister storms in demanding Rose get the afternoon off.What's a girl to do?





	Family Feast

**Author's Note:**

> Day 23 of 31 Days of Ficmas! Word - feast.

“-fifty three’s your change, have a good holiday!”  Rose said brightly, handing the coins to her favorite customer.  James accepted them automatically, staring at her and seeming deep in thought.  When he didn’t move, she tried again.  “You’re all set, your drink will be down at the end when it’s done.”

Still he frowned at her, though he seemed to be looking just past her head while lost in his own.

“James?”

Nothing, he stood frozen.

“I’m pregnant, and it’s yours?”  She tried, making Amy at the next register snort with laughter.

“You wish,” her friend muttered, and she kicked her.

“That’s nice,” he finally offered vaguely, shuffling off slowly.

“Bye?”  Rose watched him go, only able to spare a second of worry before having to turn to the next customer.

It was a full five minutes later and she’d almost forgotten the exchange when James reappeared in front of her, much more with it and wide eyed.

“What?!”

Rose and Amy burst into laughter.

“I was trying to get your attention, you seemed lost in space,” Rose explained with a smile.

“Yeah.”  He fidgeted with his takeaway cup before looking back up at her.  “Say, do you get a break?”

Rose’s heart hammered in her chest – this was it!

“Yeah, course we do.  Go ahead, I can cover,” Amy interrupted, exchanging looks with Rose.

“Thanks,” she said gratefully, “D’you have a table?”

It didn’t take her long to ditch her apron and settle across from him at the window table.

“Hi,” she giggled nervously.

“Hi,” he breathed back, eyes still wide.

They sat there for several long moments staring at each other.

“Oh!”  He finally exclaimed, eyes lighting up.  “I asked you here for a reason.”

“Yes?”  Rose leaned forward eagerly, biting her lip.

“Um, do you have plans on Christmas Eve?”

Her heart pounded in her chest – this wasn’t how she’d imagined it, but she’d take what she could.

“Um, in the evening.  With Mum.  But I can cancel!” She hastily added, not wanting to blow the moment.

“Right,” James said vaguely, rubbing at the back of his neck.  “Here’s the thing – uh, I have a party to go to at my sister’s that afternoon, more of a lunch really.  And I was hoping you might go with me?”

“You want me to go to a Christmas luncheon at your sister’s?”  She repeated.

“Yeah.”  He tugged at his ear, and she narrowed her eyes.

“Is there something more?”

“Um,” he kept fidgeting, looking anywhere but at her.  “Here’s the thing.  My sister is… opinionated.  And, uh, brash.  We love each other desperately but she can be, well, overbearing.”

“Good to know,” she said slowly, sensing this was only the beginning.

“And, well, she’s been wanting me to date for quite a while, and eventually, I, er, may have told her I was seeing someone?”

“And you want me to play the role?”  Now a little offended but charmed despite herself, she settled back to hear the story out.

“Uh huh.”

“Why me specifically?  You must have female friends she doesn’t know.”

“I do,” he allowed, shifting in his seat.  “But, she, well, Donna, she won’t just accept ‘oh, I’m seeing someone’.  She needs details.  And I panicked, and it kind of got away from me, and now here we are.”

“Still don’t see why me,” she prompted.

“Itoldheritwasyou.”

“What?”

“She wanted details!  And I somehow, kind of, mentioned you.”

Her eyebrows shot up, even as inside she danced at the knowledge that he thought of her when she wasn’t taking his coffee order.  “Mentioned me how?”

“Well, that you worked in the local coffee shop, and we got along, and one thing led to another.”

“And how long have we been ‘dating’?”  The long he talked, the funnier it seemed to get.  He appeared to be so full of nervous energy he was thirty seconds from vibrating off the chair, onto the floor, and likely out the door never to be seen again.

“Eight months.”

“And how serious a relationship is this?”

He tugged his ear again, voice going squeaky.  “I may have implied I’d been ring shopping?”

She couldn’t help it; she burst into laughter.

“Stop laughing!”  He protested weakly, and she had to put her head on the table as she shook.  “Rose!”

“Sorry,” she finally managed to gasp.  “It’s just – you see how absurd this is, yeah?”

“Of course I do,” he said miserably.  “But I’m too far in.  And if I try to say that we broke up, she might very well come down here and try to win you back for me herself.”

“Have you considered just telling her I’m working and couldn’t switch shifts?”  Rose asked practically, and his head shot up.

“That’s brilliant!”  He enthused.  “I’ll try that.  But, um, knowing Donna-”

“Then we’ll make it work.  At the very least, it’ll be an interesting story for my Mum.”  Rose grinned, and he smiled back.

“I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow,” he promised, extending one hand.

“Sounds good,” she bit her lip, shaking his hand seriously.

-

“Hey, what can I get you?”  Rose greeted the fuming redhead in front of her, trying to be as pleasant as possible to ease what promised to be a tense transaction.

“I’d like to talk to your manager,” the woman huffed, crossing her arms.

Rose’s eyes widened, and she glanced at Amy for help.  “I’m so sorry ma’am, is there something wrong?”

“Yes!”  She snapped.  “What kind of slave labor turn of the century factory is this?”

“I don’t-”

“Listen, Rachel, I’m sure you’re lovely and that’s not the problem.  My brother’s girlfriend works here, and can’t get one afternoon off to attend a bleeding family get together!  Well, not if I’ve got anything to say about it!”  The woman argued, and a knot tightened in Rose’s stomach.

“You’re Donna,” she breathed in wonder – James’ description hadn’t done the woman justice.

“Yes!  How’d you know that?”

“I’m Rose,” Rose greeted, extending her hand.

“Pleasure,” Donna bit out, shaking her hand before sighing.  “Sorry – this wasn’t how I wanted to introduce myself.  James called and said you couldn’t get off, and that’s not – you need to be there.”

Rose smiled politely, panicking inside on how she was going to sell this drama she was now trapped in.  “Let me go talk to my manager-”

“Oh!”  Amy exclaimed from beside her, looking up from her phone.  “That was Rory, his shift just got changed so we can’t do the 24th.  I can cover for you?”

“Oh, would you really?”  Donna gushed, looking at her fellow ginger.  “That’s lovely!  We’ll see you then, Rose!  This is going to be brilliant!”

As quickly as the woman had blown in, she swept out again leaving unknown destruction in her wake.

“Thanks,” Rose said dryly to Amy.

The other woman shrugged.  “What else could you do?”

Rose just stared out the door.

-

“So it’s all sorted,” James greeted her cheerfully the next morning.  “Told Donna you’ve got work, so you’re off the hook!”

“Is that so?”  Rose smirked back at him, folding her arms in front of her.

“Yep!”  He popped the letter, looking so pleased with himself Rose was almost sorry to burst his bubble.

Almost.

“Cause she came in yesterday afternoon demanding to speak to my manager, trying to get me off the schedule.  Amy jumped in and offered to cover, so I am free as a bird and she knows it.”  She raised an eyebrow at him, biting her lip to hide the smirk when his face fell.

“I should have known,” he sighed sadly.  “She accepted that way too easily.”

Rose nodded.  “Looks like there’s no getting out of it.”

“Are you willing?  I can still-”

“No, should be interesting.  I certainly liked her, at least.  Though, hang on, how does she know where I work?”

James ruffled his hair.  “I may have mentioned it.”

“Exactly how much have you mentioned me?”  Rose asked, eyebrow going higher when he blushed.

“Enough.  All true, though,” he assured her.

“Except for the fact that you’re considering asking me to marry you,” she pointed out.

“Right, except that.”  He scratched his neck again.

“So…”

“Are you really willing to put up with this just for me?”  He blurted.

“Are you sure you want me to tag along?”  She shot back.

“ _Yes_ ,” he said emphatically, blushing again as his desperation leaked through.

It made Rose brave enough to ask, “And, maybe, if it goes well we can get coffee or something after the holiday?”

James’ eyes lit up, and he slowly smiled.  “Oh, a holiday lunch with my sister?  Definitely earns you dinner.”  Then he panicked.  “If, you know, you want.  Or just coffee would be fine.  I like coffee.  Obviously.  Though I don’t know where I’d take you – normally, this is my go-to place but who wants to go to work on a date?  Not that I’m assuming it’d be a date!  Though it could be, if you wanted?  But definitely no obligation!”

By the end his eyes were wide with fear as he audibly snapped his jaw shut.

“A dinner date sounds perfect,” Rose promised with a smile.

He wilted in relief.  “Good.”

“Yep.”

When he just stood there, she asked hesitantly, “Did you actually want to order something?”

-

“Explain this to me again?” Jackie asked as she watched Rose finish her makeup.

“Mum…”

“I mean, what do you actually know about this bloke?”

“I know… I really like him.  I know he’s sweet, and charming, and he obviously likes me.  I think… I think this might actually go somewhere, Mum.  More than Jimmy or Mickey.  Something real, you know?”

She grabbed her things and headed for the door, reaching it just as there was a knock.

“Hey,” she greeted, and James smiled nervously.

“Hi.  Happy Christmas.”

“Happy Christmas,” she laughed.  “Uh, James, this is my mum.  Mum, this is James.”

“How do you do?”  James offered his hand.

Jackie ignored it.

“No funny business, ya hear?  You won’t get away with it – I promise you that,” she told him fiercely, and he swallowed hard.

“None at all, ma’am.  Promise.  She’ll be perfectly safe.”

“We should go,” Rose cut in with a smile.  “Mum, I’ll be back later.”

Without waiting for a response she marched out the door, hoping she wasn’t making a terrible mistake.

**Author's Note:**

> Part 1 of 3. Others coming soon.


End file.
